At this point, I really do think it is very plausible that Democrats are trying to scare people into thinking it's inevitable that Trump that will win in an attempt to mobilize those who fear another Trump presidency.
The Democrats are scrambling. I genuinely have no idea what their strategy is. I don't think they do either.
Costa is saying that Democrats who believe Biden is the wrong nominee for their party are “standing down.” The reason is that the country has to stick together and therefore Democrats also have to stick together. This rationale is incoherent, even contradictory. The country sticking together means something different from, and close to the opposite of, the parties cohering internally. President Biden is deeply unpopular.
There’s no theory of national unity that requires Democrats to stand behind a president disliked by the entire Republican Party and most independents, unless the theory is to give up on trying to win the election and let Trump have it.
Crazy as it sounds, that may be the theory. NBC quotes a “longtime Democratic insider” complaining, ‘“We’re so beyond f-,” as well as “a veteran Democratic consultant” who says, “The presidential contest ended last night,” and, “Now it’s time to focus on keeping the Senate and trying to pick up the House. The only positive thing to come out of last night for Democrats is we are no longer talking about Joe Biden’s age today.”
After the Trump shooting, another post-9/11 moment takes hold.
nymag.com